Another Chance
by BilboMcSwaggins
Summary: Spoilers for those who haven't played the Dead Space 3 DLC, Awakened. Takes place directly after the ending, with my own spin to the plot. Isaac Clarke and John Carver fall into another nightmare as their hopes of reaching planet Earth have been nearly crushed. Now they are floating among the vastness of the universe with only scavenged supplies and each other, and a second chance.
1. Chapter 1

**_Chapter One_**

Horror.

All thoughts of home, memories of friends and family, and the sweet feeling of _relief_ instantly froze in both of the men as they could do nothing but watch the unbelievable scene in front of them.

What was seconds ago the lovely sight of planet Earth and its fellow moon became a nightmare as the Brethren Moons suddenly materialized and surrounded the planet. The one emerging from behind the Earth was the first noticed by Isaac Clarke and Sgt. John Carver from their position in the ship's cockpit. Their mouths hung agape as their minds seemed too slow to process what was happening, and to their horror another alien moon suddenly rose directly in front of their vessel. It completely blocked their vision of Earth from the ship's large windshield.

Then the torture began.

Nothing but a deafening and unearthly screech rang in the two men's ears. It then became accompanied with sporadic images of veins and blood, lights glowing in sinister red and orange hues, and a Marker centered between the chaos.

Words could not explain the visions, more so mental _trauma_. The screeching became unbearable and paralyzing as the Sergeant collapsed to his knees and gripped his head between his hands, screwing his eyes shut and pulling his short hair as the pain took over his body. Next to him sat Isaac in the pilot's seat, similarly groaning in agony as he pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes, hunching over the dashboard and gritting his teeth.

Red flashes, roaring flames, Markers, maniacal whispers and screams.

Hell.

The Sergeant suddenly had trickles of blood falling from his nose and forming in his ears, but he did not notice as he could do nothing but sink lower onto all fours and cry out in pain. A metallic taste filled his mouth and he spat, the more he reacted the more the pain grew. Then out of nowhere for the two of them, a sudden blackness took over their vision and all became quiet.

ههههههههههههه

Isaac awoke with a jolt. Out of reflex he lifted his head from the dashboard and then instantly regretted it, because a searing ache rang out in his head. He moaned and closed his eyes. The aching was followed suit by a deep, sickening nausea as the Engineer hunched over the dashboard again and held his head. He forced himself to open his eyes and raise his head (slowly this time) to the scene laying out in front of him. His vision blurred and doubled as he saw all of these dim lights shining in the distance, they were small and seemed to buzz. He squinted to get a better look, _orbs?_

That theory was quickly diminished as he slowly realized the obvious display,

 _Stars._

Reality quickly washed over him as the memories came flooding back. He wanted to barricade them, and not revisit them, not _accept_ them.

No... It can't be.

The mesmerizing sight of their home planet, suddenly conquered by the massive alien moons as they surrounded the small sphere. Then the visions, oh God the visions.

This was too much for Isaac to take in, he could only feel his body gradually succumb to a cold numbness. He became paralyzed again, in shock this time. It was as if every thought in him came to a halt, and a dominating stiffness took over his spine and neck, his limbs tingled as he felt his heart drop inside of him.

For minutes his mind didn't register any information and he sat there still as a statue, eyes wide and unfocused as he could only notice the stars ahead of him.

 _Carver._

Isaac snapped out of his daze and turned to his right side. If it was possible of his heart to drop even further, it did as he gazed down to the Sergeant, who was on the floor of the cockpit unconscious and laying on his side, faced away from Isaac. The meter along his backside glowed a faint red. The Engineer slowly stood, wary at the chance of doubling over, and made the short and daring steps towards the other man. The numbing stiffness was still in control, and Isaac could not do a thing as his knees buckled and he shakily lowered down to the Sergeant. He placed a hand on the man's armored shoulder and while holding his breath, turned him over.

Carver didn't phase, he remained unconscious. Unable to check for a pulse because of the metal plates covering the arms, Isaac checked for breathing from the nose and mouth, and felt a sigh of relief flood through him as he felt the short breaths. He felt concerned of the sickening amount of dried blood covering the man's face, but he dismissed that worry because he was happy enough to know that the other survivor, his _friend,_ was still with him.

ههههههههههههه


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two_**

Carver returned to consciousness in a haze, the edges of his sight were blackened like a vignette as the blurriness slowly cleared. He was on his side, and didn't move as he gazed at his outstretched arms, and then the flickering lights and beeps along the walls of the ship feet away from him. The previous events hurled back to his memory, the instances that happened directly before... blackness.

 _This is a dream, right..?_

At least he wanted to believe that.

 _No way, no possible way in HELL did we yet survive a second time. Though this time, maybe not being "saved" by the Aliens._

Thinking of this brought the battered Sergeant to another moment of confusion, as he didn't hear any noises or see any signs of Isaac. He then realized that his head was resting upon a makeshift pillow.

 _Huh, I don't remember that..._

He rolled onto his back and peered up at the ceiling, then decided to finally sit up. He glanced around the cockpit and the Engineer was nowhere in sight. Carver rubbed the side of his head and exhaled a sigh. He turned his head towards where he was just laying, and saw blood stains on the pillow. Yet when he brought a hand to his mouth and wiped his face, nothing came of it. He confirmed that Isaac must of laid him to his side, with a pillow as support, to not risk him choking on his own blood. Maybe did some cleaning as well, of the blood and whatever small wounds were among Carver's face.

He then stood slowly and felt a faint ache ringing in the back of his head, but he pushed that annoyance away as he made his way along the cockpit and checked around corners and small storage rooms.

 _Man I don't even know what to believe anymore... Was Isaac ever even here... or was this whole thing another shit hallucination?_

He entered a small back room of the ship. It was a bit long like a hallway, yet wider. On each side of him were tiny beds, much similar to bunk beds, but built into the walls. He continued his walk between them and approached a set of narrow double doors at the end of the room, such as those to push through when entering a bar or kitchen. Yet these were tall and did not have any windows.

The Sergeant stopped before pushing the entrance when he heard what appeared to be the faint sound of water running.

A slight anxiousness took over him and he lightly pushed the doors and stepped into the washroom. There Isaac stood at a sink in the back corner. He was shirtless and hunched over the sink, letting the faucet water drain over his entire head. He stood there for many seconds with his eyes shut and not moving an inch, almost as if he was stuck in some trance.

"... Clarke?"

The other man snapped up (nearly banging his head against the faucet in the process), and threw his gaze over to the Sergeant.

"Carver... I thought... I thought you would be out for longer".

John grimaced as his mind was suddenly swallowed up with questions, confusion, and pain.

"Shit Isaac...". He trudged over to the bathing man and stopped beside him. "Isaac... This, this is _real?_ ".

The question came out as a short and incredulous laugh.

The Engineer faced the Sergeant completely with an almost-blank expression plastered on his face, water droplets slid down his forehead and cheeks as he took a moment to respond.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Bu-... We were right _there_ Isaac, fucking _WATCHING_ our homeland, using the radios. How... How are we still _here?_ It doesn't make any sense, I can't-"

Carver struggled to find words, thoughts really. He looked downward and took a step back, at a complete loss of what to even do. He brought his hands to each side of his head in distress, and let out another laugh of disbelief.

"Oh my God man..."

He felt hands lightly wrap around his wrists, pulling his own hands back down away from his face. Isaac then released his hold and patted on the Sergeant's chest.

"I know, Carver. I... I don't know what to think either. I don't know what is real anymore, and once we're there in front of our home and I thought that this shit was over, _that_ happened." His voice was almost an eerie calm, but John knew that there was so much more going on beneath it. "You were on the ground when I first came back to terms, and I thought that you had also left me. I didn't know what to do, I still don't know what to do man...".

The other's head lifted at this and he faced Isaac, but his were still averted lower and mouth hanging slightly ajar as he was soaking in all of the information. Isaac's voice was becoming slightly higher in pitch and laced with desperation as he continued. ''I turned the ship and all I saw were fucking stars forever, no sign of Earth. Oh God Carver I don't know where we are, I don't know what happened, it was too fast and I don't-..."

Isaac trailed off now becoming lost himself.

Carver was now gazing into his eyes and Isaac saw something heavy and weary deep within. The Sergeant pressed his lips in a thin line and slightly looked away again as he nodded his head, as if he felt forced to agree with this living nightmare. He returned his eyes to Isaac's and all that could come out was a simple "Okay".

The pair remained standing in silence, both completely unknowing of what to believe anymore. They both had a huge dose of anger, pain, confusion and disbelief shoved down their throats without a choice. Usually Carver would have thrown an angry fit by now, if it had been a lighter situation.

It was John who snapped out of it first, not entirely knowing what to say, he offered a thought.

"Alright... Maybe we can figure out something, I mean there has to be a way, right? We don't know where we are or what the fuck we saw back there. But we are surrounded by stars, and Earth is out there waiting for us. I'm going back to our planet, Isaac. And I'm gonna damn-well keep trying until I make it."

Though his short speech was phrased in a self-centered way, John was hoping that Isaac would catch along and agree, and include himself in this plan. But the other man was still standing there at a loss of thought. Carver grasped his forearm and gave it a gentle shake.

"Hey man... Don't give up... If we're dead, then we can do what we want, right? Who knows what's fuckin' real anymore, sure as hell neither of us do. But I ain't quittin'. And I'm not gonna quit on you, either."

These words almost felt... foreign... coming off of Carver's tongue. After all it was usually it was _him_ who was the pessimist, the complainer. Only minutes ago he felt utterly useless and defeated, and the dread was still over taking him. But seeing Isaac suddenly so quiet was unsettling. The Engineer was definitely an intellect, and in most instances of this hellish journey it was him who planned and strategized. It was him who was always a step ahead, gaining clues and finding pieces to the puzzle.

Carver was intelligent as well, but only do a degree. He shared a common ground of understanding with Isaac whenever it would come to holding onto the past, never letting go. Deep thinking and thoughts running and running and _running_. Like his mind would never stop racing with worries, problems and possible solutions. Back in Basic Combative Training in his prime years, Carver was actually one of the quietest fellows. He chose to keep to himself and not risk forming troubling relationships with the other recruits. His mouth was shut but his ears and eyes wide open, mind flooding with thoughts.

The difference between the two men is that Isaac saw issues as he did machines. They were created and once flawless, but now faced a malfunction. He would either fix the problem with what he had, or find some spare parts to improvise. And instead of letting the problem worsen over time, he would fight to find solutions and handle it in the quickest manner. Isaac was able to construct and build off of real-life situations, and search for the best possible outcome. Smartly. This happened to be why everyone had looked up to him, and why he was specifically chosen to help repair the Ishimura in the first place. But as of their current situation lost among the vastness of outer space, the Engineer didn't even know where to begin.

Of course Carver was also struggling in this moment, but he had to stay strong for Isaac. Sure the man had seen quite enough for his time, and he was definitely one who nobody would want to cause trouble with. But throughout his nightmarish experiences, the threads latching onto his sanity have gradually been cut. And now he was barely hanging on.

The Engineer finally glanced up and their gazes met. His blue eyes were deep and sorrowful, like a puppy had been kicked and then wondered what it had done wrong. Carver caught what appeared to be a flash of innocence in Isaac's eyes, and for a moment it seemed as if the man himself was attempting to piece together why he was ever even here, _why?_ What had he ever done?

Of course, neither of them deserved this, though.

Isaac blinked and the expression was gone, he averted his eyes slightly downward towards the Soldier's collarbone and remained still. Carver's warm hand also remained placed upon the other man's upper arm, and without realizing (and possibly to get his attention), Carver lightly ran his other hand through Isaac's damp hair and kept it there at the back of Isaac's head. Isaac lifted his head once again.

"Clarke... You're not gonna believe it when I say this. But it's gonna be okay."

Isaac hesitated before he nodded, and Carver released his arms and lowered them to his sides.

"We'll get through this. Nothing new, right?"

This gained a small chuckle from the Engineer and Carver gave him a playful punch in the arm.

"That's what I better hear. I'm gonna check out the rest of this ship for any supplies. I'm assuming that you have the systems set to some auto-pilot or sleep mode right now?"

The other man's words were quiet and tired, and he dragged a hand along his face.

"Yeah, I've managed to temporarily disable the main engines in hopes of conserving whatever energy we have. It'll do no harm, for now we're cruising at a slow pace. Where we go depends on whatever atmospheric gravity pulls us, until we come up with some measurements and coordinates. Though I still have the defense systems and radars active, so we would know if we were nearing another solar system."

He briefly paused before adding, "I didn't want to make any final decisions before I could wrap my head around what's happening, and until you woke up".

This startled the Sergeant as he nearly forgot about Isaac's aid, which had probably saved his life. He nodded in confirmation and took a step back ready to leave, but the words came out of his mouth before he realized, "Thanks, man. For real. I trust you, ya know."

Isaac gave a small smile in return and turned to head back for the sink. Carver rear-faced and shuffled to the doorway while shouting out "Hey I'll letcha know what I find!"

هههههههههههههه


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter Three_**

The sounds of objects scraping and clattering to the floor filled the storage room as Carver searched among the shelves. Because of the ship's current low-powered state, the lights above provided a dim red glow, and only a slight draft emerged from the ventilation system.

 _Better than those damned necromorph freaks crawling around in them..._

Despite this thought, the Sergeant was still weary every time that he passed by a vent, or any openings in general. Being in the tight corridors of ships for days, _weeks_ at a time, had finally gotten to him. Though he would never admit that. He had been at constant survival mode for longer than he could recall now. And when nearing the corner of those hallways or passing by the threshold to another room, it could never be predicted whatever is waiting on the other side.

He thought back to a moment when he had almost lost Isaac. They were passing through a long and tedious hallway back in one of the other God-Forsaken ships. At this time they were slightly calm with a comfortable silence hanging between them, but remained at guard for any sudden happenings. Isaac followed behind Carver as they made their way in search of extra supplies and weapon upgrades. The soldier was ready to lower his shotgun and relax his arms when a crash suddenly came from behind. He whirled around in time for his flashlight to shine upon a gasping Isaac. A common necromorph had broken through an air vent right as the engineer had passed by, and seized the man with one claw of an arm as the rest of its body remained inside of the vent. Isaac was yanked backward into the wall and choked as his breath got caught in his lungs, and rifle clambered to the floor. He reached his hands up to his throat and desperately attempted to break free. Carver calculated his chances quickly and threw the shotgun to the ground, pulling out a large stiletto knife instead. _Better to do this than possibly blowing both of their brains out._

He let out a yell and dashed towards the struggling pair, but before he got within reach a large figure fell onto him from above. The Sergeant hadn't realized what had happened until he looked up to see the mutilated face of another fucking necromorph. It had him pinned and then a scorpion-like tail stabbed into the floor next to the man's head. It screeched and gnashed huge fangs onto his helmet, and in return Carver used a free leg to knee the creature in what remained of its abdomen, and freed his arm. As if his adrenaline had total control, his hand latched around the sharp tail blade and ripped it from the floor, and he stabbed it into the creature's head.

He shoved the thing off of him and found his knife before jumping to his feet. He turned to see Isaac and the other necromorph still wrestling against each other, and the man was giving weak head-butts in attempt to free himself. With no more time to spare Carver practically jumped upon the two and in a single motion, thrashed the blade between the monster's eyes.

Isaac fell but was caught by solid arms before he hit the ground. The soldier ripped off the other man's helmet to allow him a moment to regain his breath, and proceeded to holster their dropped weapons. He swiftly lifted Isaac from the side to support his weakened state, and they wordlessly trampled to safety, away from the recovering creatures.

Now thinking back, this was only one of the _handful_ of close calls the pair had shared throughout their journeys. So no, in their minds nothing could be trusted. Not only people but environments as well.

Carver returned to reality and for a moment forgot what he was doing, and then sighed when he remembered about his fruitless search among the ship's storage rooms. Indeed he did find some useful things such as another water tank and some freeze-dried meals. But he was hoping for something more... Maybe another weapon or some old audio recording. Anything to tinker with and take away his mind, to _distract._

It had been over an hour since he had last spoken with Isaac in the washroom, but Carver felt as if they were going to be in this floating vessel for much longer than intended. Yes, he did have some hope of returning home, _some._ He tried not to think about the previous sight of those moons nearing upon their beloved planet. Searching for supplies did prove to be useful so far but the Sergeant wanted anything to keep his heart from aching with worry.

He felt a sudden wave of exhaustion take over him and his breaths became heavy in the still air.

 _Damn, I gotta sit down..._

He decided to take a break from what he was doing and leave into the main cockpit. Since he hadn't yet bothered to remove any of his armor besides the helmet, the metal boots lightly clanked against the floor as he wandered into the spacious room. The once-comforting weight and protection of metal plates hugging his body became more of a burden to him now, a weight to drag along with his fatigue. He looked to see the backside of Isaac lounged in one of the co-pilot seats. He was leaning far back and didn't acknowledge (or didn't notice) Carver's presence.

When the Soldier neared the other man, he realized that Clarke had fallen asleep behind the wheel. The Engineer's expression surprisingly appeared... Soft. His mouth hang lightly agape and head leaned slightly to the side. No stirring, no furrowed brow and sleep-talking. _Nothing._ Just his smooth breaths matching in with the ship's low hum, accompanied by small flickers of dashboard mechanisms and starlight emitting a blue glow onto his face. The man was wearing what seemed to be found clothing, a gray sweater and olive green cargo pants, only to be completed with black crew socks. His face had been cleanly shaven and his growing bangs rested over his forehead.

Carver was a bit taken aback from this sight, it was alien for him to see the Ishimura survivor at such a low level of stress. Except for whenever they exchanged smiling glances as they entered the Milky Way Galaxy and were nearing their homeland. Those golden moments right before _everything else_ had happened.

The Sergeant let out a quiet sigh. He was going to inform Isaac of the possible useful things he had gathered from the rooms of the ship, but decided against it and allowed the other man to rest. Sure as hell he wanted to reach Earth again as soon as possible. He wondered if they had been nearing the planet this whole time, or drifting further away from it. But his apprehension calmed as he was reminded that _indeed_ for the sake of both of them, sleep and sanity were more important at this point than solving curiosity.

He turned and made his way to the washroom, where (after a number of attempts and curses), he slid off each armored plate and dropped them to the floor. His undershirt and remaining clothes followed suit and landed onto the pile of gear, then he stepped over to turn the shower faucet.

Warm streams of water rained upon the man's head and he remained still as he savored the feeling of the droplets rushing down along his face and body. Due to the shower's small capsule-like shape, a thin fog rose into the air and clouded the glass doors, permitting a complete sense of privacy. Carver let out a low hum and closed his eyes, enjoying this nostalgic and calming sensation. He imagined as if the water falling onto him was the Earth's own rain. He saw himself standing alone in a vast green field, cloudy skies up above beginning their downpour as he did nothing but stand and embrace it.

He delightfully continued picturing similar scenarios before he decided not to waste anymore water and actually washed himself. He hadn't noticed the discolored and bloody water that drained off of him. Hesitating, the Soldier finally returned the faucet to its off position and stepped out.

 _Damn, no wonder Isaac took so long..._

John stood in the washroom and hugged a towel around himself, taking in breaths of the thick warm air. He then shuffled through some lockers and draped on a loose T-shirt, stepped into sweatpants and headed to the main room of the ship.

ههههههههههههههههه

The room was cool and quiet as Carver laid under thin bed covers. He was rolled onto his side, facing the wall directly adjacent to the mattress and away from the room. Moments ago he was struggling to keep his eyelids lifted, but now it felt like he'd had a bit too many energy drinks. He remained still and attempted to slow his breathing, being awake itself was becoming... _mentally_ exhausting. And sleep seemed to be the only solution for finding some ease.

His favorite kind of sleep were the dreamless nights. No dreams filled with fear or the faces of loved ones, no waking up throughout the night. Only the gradual feeling of weightlessness as he drifted off, then finally the blissfulness of unconsciousness. Silence, blackness. _Nothing._

"Carver?"

The Sergeant nearly jumped out of his skin at a voice coming from the doorway. He hadn't heard Isaac's footsteps.

"Shit Isaac-" He turned over to his opposite side and faced the other man, wearily dragging a hand along his brow.

The Engineer appeared shocked as well, definitely not expecting this reaction from his comrade. He lightly lowered his head and eyes drifted off in regret. "Man-... I'm sorry. I should've knocked, or something. I couldn't tell if it was you laying there."

Back then Carver would have given an eye roll or ask a question along the lines of _'Who else would it be, Dead Boy?',_ but in these times all he could feel was an instant guilt, and self-scolding for his actions.

"Nah nah, you're all good. Sorry 'bout that. You just startled me is all". He chuckled "Are you alright?"

The blue-eyed man gazed at him. "Yeah, yeah... I must've passed out, I nearly forgot everything when I woke up and all I saw was the universe from our windshield". He had a small smile on his face and appeared comfortable, then proceeded to fully step into the room and face his friend.

"Yeah, you passed out like a motherfucker. Good to see that you shaved off that beard-neck."

"Pfft. It was better than that train wreck that's on your face! Anyways, have you found anything useful? I haven't even checked out the rest of the ship."

"Hmm..." Carver paused. "Unless you consider broken tools and sweat-stained space suits helpful, then not much. Though I did come across some actual _safe_ food to eat, and a larger supply of water back in one of the storage rooms. There weren't many documents or spare parts at all, none of our jackpots."

Isaac nodded.

"Clarke... What are you wanting to do now, with us heading back home and everything? I figure that we're gonna lay low and rest a bit, before getting back onto the road?" In perfect timing, the Sergeant yawned before adding " 'Cause as much as I want us to get our shit together now and haul ass back over there, I ain't gonna last another night without falling over."

The other man did a 'Pssh, yeah' expression in agreement. "Oh, I know. Especially now that there's damn time to sit down and think, I'm really feeling those aches coming back. I was wondering when you would want to catch some shut-eye, but now that I know, I'll leave you to it. Oh and, thanks. For the searching. It really does help knowing that we _hopefully_ have more than enough things to last us."

Instead of exiting the room, Isaac remained in his place and looked hesitant. Carver did catch the flash of desperation in his eyes.

"Hey uh, would it be cool if I staye-"

"Go ahead."

Clarke nodded to and looked to his left, then right, before sitting down onto the bed next to Carver's, only a few feet away. Carver could sense the embarrassment coming off of the other man, but after all that they have been through he did not see anything to be embarrassed about. There was nothing wrong with it.

Isaac slid under the welcoming sheets before pulling the blanket over himself. He let out an exasperated sigh and heard a laugh from the other bed.

"Feels great, doesn't it?"

"Mm-hmm... I've forgotten what a mattress even feels like. This is the good shit for being in a spacecraft. Luxury, even."

"Hmph yeah. Couldn't agree more..."

A short pause ensued between the two, Carver opened his mouth to fill the silence but Isaac beat him to it.

"Will this ever end Carver?"

The other man blinked and rolled over to fully face his partner. "What are you talking about?"

Isaac remained on his back and staring at the ceiling above him. "It's like there's never an end, to any of this. I thought that things were fucking done whenever I had my apartment back on Earth. No more of being out here, jumping from ship to goddamn ship and wondering if I'm ever gonna make it out alive and breathing." His words were aggressive but no anger showed in his voice. He appeared calm, if anything. _Drained_ in fact _._

He continued. "All of this shit fucking with my head since day one onboard the Ishimura. And now I don't know if we're getting dragged into these things because of _my_ mistakes, or for fate itself. You know I still hear those bastards crawling around in the walls, it's a never-ending _'tick-ticking'_ echoing all around me. Man, I can't even _walk_ around a doorway or some fuckin' corner without being so... tense."

Isaac was beginning to lose control of his composure.

"And when I look into _MIRRORS,_ no no, it's not me that I see. It's this awful man, this _monster."_ His final word was clipped with emotion as he continued. "And I always ask myself, is it really me who has created what I've become? Or was it somebody else? Because I'd just _LOVE_ to fucking know."

At this point Carver was kneeled beside the other's bed, and not really sure of what to do he placed a hand around Isaac's forearm and gave it a little shake.

"Hey man, look at me." Isaac obliged.

"You gotta keep yourself together. It sounds impossible right now but we've made it this far, _you've_ made it this far. I know that I spout a lot of shit but you gotta hear me out and trust me when I say this, you're smarter and stronger than you'll ever know. We've just escaped from hell and now we don't even know if there's a home to go back to, oh _believe me,_ I'm worried too. I'm shitting my pants over here! But right now you have to focus on the present, where we are and what we're gonna do next. And you know I'm by your side the whole way." He took a breath before continuing. "But, as of now... You need to rest." His other hand reacted before his logic could, and placed itself over his friend's heart, adding a light and comforting pressure. A display of security, in a way. "Because you are working yourself up and it ain't gonna do anything to help. I know that there's a lot going on in that mind of yours, but in times like this you need to take it slow. It'll be alright, just keep breathing for us, alright?"

The Sergeant was once again shocked at the surges of optimism that he hadn't known he could... _possess._ But he could not be the negative energy anymore, at least not now. His comrade was suffering from old scars and new wounds, and it was the Soldier's decision to raise him up or let them both fall.

Though his heart did clench as he watched Isaac look away and nod, then rapidly blink his eyes attempting to rid of tears. When the hurting man's breath hitched, Carver grasped a hand with his own and gave it a firm grip. He was going to let Clarke break these walls down, he was nearly expecting sobbing to come next. But it didn't. The other man gained control once more and after some sniffling he turned his head back towards the Sergeant, but avoided eye contact.

The brown-eyed man also kept his gaze slightly averted, as if allowing privacy for the other and sparing him of shame. But he couldn't help it and decided to look back up. He lingered in his position for some seconds before letting go of Isaac's hand and slowly standing upwards. He used his free hand to give the man's hair a ruffle and then smoothed it out of his face before moving away.

The room was silent, but surprisingly not so stiff and on-edge anymore. The airflow was still warm throughout the ship, but now Carver could only register it as a warmth of understanding between the two. He relaxed back under his bed covers.

 _Perhaps not only he was tense, but I was too. And being around each other for this long now, maybe we've been reflecting it off of each other this whole time..._ he thought to himself.

"Carver?" A small voice arose from the other bed.

"Hmm?"

Silence.

"Thank you."

"No reason to thank me. I'm here if you need anything".

And with that, the two sank under the weights of exhaustion and succumbed to sleep. Carver slowed his breathing and mind once again, before finally getting what he had been longing for.

Silence, blackness.

 _Nothing._

 **To Be Continued**

ههههههههههههههه

Author's Note:

Hello there, thank y'all for reading my story and getting this far. I am not going to give my whole life story but as a bit of background:

I am NOT a writer in any means. I am expecting there to be some grammatical errors or overall confusion no matter how many times I revise my writing, so I apologize for any of that. I do have an awesome friend who has been keeping up with this story and she has provided ideas and insight, so she is my little partner in crime here.

Honestly I have only expected this story to get like...two views... hah. So I am very happy with the number of readers I've obtained so far, thank you again for taking the time to read my story and if there is any feedback or thoughts you'd like to provide, I am open to many things. I will admit I have deleted paragraphs after typing because I have these ADD moments and I will go way off topic with the plot and forget what I'm even writing about. I know that my writing style is very slow and I like to be detailed, I am trying to keep close to the story and have our lovely Isaac and John remain in-character, but I also want to explore more emotional and complicated paths within the two.

I really don't want to be one of those authors who develops a capable and developed story, then suddenly never posts another chapter. I can't leave y'all hanging. But I do live a military lifestyle and my orders range all week and go into the weekends as well. I will try to make as much free time as possible to sit down and continue this story. I am hoping to get a new chapter in weekly, or bi-weekly, or tri-weekly... or quad-weekly (Okay I'm kidding).

But there you go. Again any feedback would be great, I'd like to know if I'm actually entertaining people or putting you guys to sleep out of boredom.

I honestly do not know where this story is gonna go, I have a few ideas in mind and I will try to expand them and keep 'em interesting.

Thanks again.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four_**

"Clarke, what's happening? What could this mean?"

"I don't know, I'm trying to find out!"

Isaac simultaneously radiated hope and exasperation as alarms were sounding throughout the cockpit.

He huddled over the flashing keys of the dashboard and examined the gauges.

Earlier, both men had woken from their slumber to the faint sounds of radar mechanisms beeping and echoing from the cockpit of the ship. Disheveled and in a haze, the pair scurried over to the commotion to discover that the ship had detected something important.

Isaac gave a sharp sigh of confusion and murmured a _"What the fuck..."_ to himself, hair hanging over some of his face as he hunched over complicated buttons and levers. Carver was mostly standing beside the other man as he peered over his shoulder to the display in front of them. It was a shit-show, for sure. He gathered nothing as he helplessly read the labels of the flashing buttons, all screeching at the two men and indicating _something._

"Ahah, there! Look!" Isaac pointed to a screen attached to the dashboard, displayed on it was one of the active radar systems. The screen flickered and pixels glitched momentarily before a sudden large green dot appeared. It was indeed within a short distance from their ship, according to the console in front of them a little more than one-hundred feet.

"Is that..." Carver trailed off.

"A vessel... holy shit" Isaac finished the thought.

The Soldier huffed "Why didn't all of this shit warn us a little _earlier?_ So now we have someone tailing us and we don't find out until they're within arms reach?!"

"I'm not even gonna question, I'm just glad that we're being warned at all. C'mon, let's take a look."

Carver silently obeyed and followed the other. They slipped into their spacesuits and were armed with weapons within seconds. They proceeded to hurriedly walk through hallways leading to the rear of the ship, and to one of the decompression chambers. The Sergeant began talking as he was on Isaac's heels.

"So when we get out that door, I'll stay back some ways and cover your ass. Besides, you got that doll face, they'll sure as hell gain more trust in you than taking a look at me."

Isaac chuckled and shook his head "Aight' then, Sergeant. It's your call this time. But in all seriousness, you know I ain't risking shit. If I catch anything suspicious then we're outta here."

"Roger. Let's see what's going on."

They stepped into the decompression chamber and stood as their suits fully closed the air-tight seals. The room's oxygen was suddenly sucked through vents within the walls, as the stored oxygen in their tanks whooshed into their helmets and allowed for breathing. The familiar vacuum of space came simultaneously and they both lowly hovered above the floor. Isaac took one look back and watched Carver nod in confirmation before reaching for the handle and giving it a turn.

Planets and stars glistening from afar greeted them, and Clarke noticed the two blue gas giants that their ship had rested a large distance between. They remained close to their point of exit and exchanged glances before the Engineer went to the back corner of the ship, with Carver in tow. Blue eyes peeked around the ship's outer layers before Isaac turned the corner and floated among the Starboard side of their ship.

He didn't notice anything and was about to turn and get an opinion from his companion before his eyes were quickly stunned with a flash of light.

He squinted and looked further to his right, then he saw it.

There was the corroded form of a small vessel floating. It was no larger than a common house back on Earth. He had initially missed the entire thing, had one of it's exterior satellites not reflected the nearby planet light.

He motioned to Carver but the other man seemed to have already noticed. He floated next to Isaac and patted a metal glove on Isaac's armored shoulder before nodding his head in a motion such as _"Okay enough goggling, we need to see this shit."_

The two friends hovered to the object, the older man taking lead as Carver lingered behind with his shotgun at the ready. They hadn't seem to've alerted any alarm systems, let alone the possible crew inside. Clarke traveled alongside and peered in through small circular windows.

 _Weird, all of the lights are off..._

He came against the ship in order to see the cockpit from an angle. _But the dashboard and interior station lights are still on, so this girl is still being powered. Maybe a generator?_

He then continued his investigation to the back of the ship where (similar to theirs) was a sealed doorway. He stopped himself from inching closer to it and looked to Carver.

"You've been quiet."

The other man shrugged. "Just thinking, I don't know how I feel about this. Say that we're able to break in as we please, as abandoned as this thing looks I'm not gonna trust only what our eyes see."

Isaac nodded. "You're right, maybe if we-"

He was interrupted with a heavy _swoosh_ of the door and it swung inwards, revealing a dark entry room. Within the same amount of time Carver had put himself between the Engineer and the threshold, weapon drawn and aimed precisely for any sudden movements. Both men floated and stared as a human figure emerged from the darkness, stopping short behind the metal doorframe.

A brief pause.

"Get your hands up, now." The Soldier said.

"Excuse me?" A light masculine voice erupted from the other being, as he slightly lowered his arms.

"Get them up, _NOW."_

The man obliged, all the while letting out laughter. "I don't think you know what yer doin' Sir."

"Wondering what the hell you're doing following us. Keep those hands up and face the wall, press 'em high and above your head". The Sergeant instructed the man as he swiftly dragged him fully outside and had him facing the outer wall, next to the doorway.

"Carver, what are you doing?" Isaac didn't disagree with the current decision, but his question was more-so directed to what he would do next.

His partner scoffed. "You know what it is man, no more of this risky shit when we're able to handle it. What do you think we should do, Clarke?"

 _Hmph._ He rounded to the side of the restrained man.

"So, what's going on? We picked you up on a radar signal and you were coming pretty damn close." Isaac then suddenly realized and decided to add " _Wait..._ Did you come this way from Earth?"

A chuckle was the initial response, before being finished with "Pffht yeah, what's _left_ of it."

Silence.

Isaac barked out a laugh. "What?"

The man scoffed. "Yeah, it's gone! What else did'ja think? The whole fuckin' planet is infected with those... _Things."_ He took a breath. _"_ As far as I know, I'm one of the only survivors. I was takin' a walk outside and the next thing I know, there are these HUGE ships above us in the sky. They bombed us, the cities crumbled to the ground and there were fires, fuckin' everywhere! Oh _did I_ run!"

Carver's restraining grip on the man was becoming loose, and he let go all together. His arms slowly lowered to his sides and behind his helmet was an mouth-hanging expression of utter shock. He snapped his head to his partner who was also busy attempting to keep up with the story, and failing to hide his horror. Not that he did anything, it was quite the opposite in fact. Isaac's complete lack of talking and his eerie stillness is all that the Soldier needed to notice.

"Then these creatures were suddenly all around, my God they were monsters... Ran around attacking people! No one was prepared for this shit. You should've seen-"

The survivor was interrupted as Carver shoved him back against the ship's wall.

"ENOUGH!"

John heard his infuriated yell before he had realized doing it. And his body continued to control his actions on its own accord. He had the man completely pinned now, his left arm crossing over the man's collarbone and other arm pressed against his stomach strongly, not allowing any movement as his helmet's menacing red glow shone upon the other's visor. This is the first time that he had seen the mystery man's eyes. They were a light brown, shining and youthful to an extent but also carrying years of knowledge. In them was fear and pain, also accompanied by something worse... What appeared to be a dazed state of mind. As if this man was not fully _here._

Carver scoffed and eased his grip. "No one asked for your fucking details. Now if you'd shut your goddamn mouth already..."

A gloved hand laid on Carver's shoulder and gave a light tug backwards. He peered over his shoulder to see Isaac ushering him away from the other male, and he complied, but not until after pointing his shotgun at the man and hissing a _"You move, I will shoot."_

The two friends floated some feet away and had a sort of private discussion about the current situation.

"Look Isaac, I don't know what this man is saying but something definitely ain't right about him. I can see it in his eyes, who knows what the fuck he's doing here. I'm not going to jump to conclusions and call him a phony, but I don't like the vibe I'm getting and this is gonna be a damn waste of time if he keeps us out here with campfire stories."

The Engineer now appeared to have regained his bearing and nodded in agreement, though he was still at a loss of words. Carver noticed and patted his shoulder.

"Hey, we're gonna see for ourselves, alright?" He let out a stressed sigh, which contradicted his words of encouragement. "Don't let this get to you."

"We're gonna run low on oxygen if we don't get back soon. What do you think we should do with this guy?" Isaac asked.

His partner paused. They both had completely forgotten about their own life source thanks to the currently-growing complications. He then snuck a glance to the other and back to Clarke.

"I may regret saying this, but he could be of some use. Not gonna hand over everything to him of course, and I really ain't liking this impression he's giving. But... If he's right... about everything..." John exhaled. "Then maybe we can take our chances with him."

"Yeah..."

The Sergeant nodded and floated back over to the survivor. "So, this thing that you're flying in right now looks like a piece of shit. Is there anything useful inside?"

He was given a questioning look by the man and then received a response. "No, no. Not at all. I haven't eaten in two days, all that's left of supplies in there are some old medical kits but that's about it. 'Been floating around here like a sitting duck until I saw your ship."

"And then followed us."

"Precisely."

Carver let out a _hmph_ before announcing. "If needed, you're welcome to join us. You look like you could use the help."

Without hesitation the man nearly bounced with enthusiasm at the offer. "After you!"

Carver stopped.

"Wait, you don't need to get anything out, or...? We don't got all of the damn time in the world, we need to head back so whatever you gotta do, now is the time."

"No, I don't need anything!"

"...Okay."

The Soldier looked back at Isaac for approval. He was answered with a silent nod and Isaac came beside him and ordered "You, in front of us. This is the only way you'll be going."

The man muttered a light "No problem" and floated within the others' reach.

Isaac gave him specific directions to the same doorway that he and Carver had exited from moments ago, and Isaac took the lead in order to open the sealed hatch.

After the familiar airflow of the ship had entered the chamber, the pair had remained in their suits and instructed the unknown man to remove his.

Carver first noted the chin-length waves of brown hair, then the scarred and battered face of the man as he fully lifted off his helmet. He had narrow features, with a long nose and thin dried lips. His shaggy hair covered the majority of his forehead but didn't managed to hide the hints of scars and recent bruising. His brows were thick and stern, but did not reflect his internal expression as his mouth was pulled into a light and focused line. Small hues of pink filled his cheeks, which added to his youthful appearance. Over all, he seemed at ease despite the current situation. _Almost too calm_ , Carver thought.

The man must have noticed the Soldier's private investigation because he suddenly flipped his head towards him. He gave a little smile downwards as his height was well above six feet, then continued his task of loosening his armor and boots.

The strange silence was ended when Isaac asked for the man's name.

"I go by Jack, what about y'all?"

"Our names aren't important right now."

Jack's metal suit clinked to the ground as he finally shrugged it off, and immediately Carver searched him for any weapons. No words were exchanged and the man didn't seem to question any of the procedures.

Isaac continued "So... There is a plan and my buddy and I here still intend to carry it out... Shithole or not, we're going to Earth."

Jack now stood away from Carver, and his movements froze upon hearing the words.

"Because I can say by now that we both have a damn good idea of how to deal with this, even if those conditions over there are as bad as you say. If you managed to make it out in one piece and find us here, then I have good hopes that there are others _still_ over there fighting for their lives. There is nothing left for us to lose, so this is a risk we are willing to take. If you have any problems, then you're of no use to us and you can carry on out back to your ship."

Jack's silent expression of mortification lessened into a blank face, then finally morphed into an exaggerated smile and he nodded coherently. "Whatever it is that y'all need to do, I'm with ya. I appreciate the hospitality already."

His sudden agreement with the idea didn't go unnoticed to the two other men. They exchanged glances before Carver began to lead the trio into the ship's hallways.

Isaac stood behind the other two and prepared for... well, whatever could happen, really. He was already hearing internal arguments within his mind, pertaining as to whether this invitation of theirs was a smart idea in the first place. _Maybe he could end up being of some use, he definitely has a better idea of what it's like back home currently. There could be resistance forces or other combative teams and shelters that he hadn't mentioned yet, it's worth taking a look into._

The Engineer continued these thoughts as he shuffled along, and decided that these next hours would be filled with much pushing for answers in order for his hopes, along with Carver's, to be reached.

ههههههههههههههههه

 **Author's Note**

Oh boy, it's been a while. For those of you who are following this story, I deeply apologize for the lack of updates. It has been rough over here and I have let this story fade away for some time. But I am having some ideas come back and I definitely intend to finish this.

Thank you for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Chapter Five_**

Within hours, the trio had prepared for the planned return to their homeland. Throughout this time, another minor interrogation took place between them, which lead to Isaac and Carver agreeing to let Jack roam throughout emptied areas of the ship and the cockpit, under close surveillance of course.

Isaac lingered in the main control room and tinkered with various contraptions, swiping collected dust from the surfaces and confirming their functionalities. Meanwhile the Sergeant gathered supplies into portable cases and remained in a near vicinity to his friend. Some quiet conversation ensued between the two as they kept their guest of the ship under vigilant watch. He seemed cooperative enough, though they both knew that he was not originally willing to make a return trip to Earth.

He mostly wandered around the tight isles of the ship and inspected mechanisms along the walls, as well as curiously peering into adjacent rooms. He gave a slow stroll, hands clasped behind his back and lightly swinging each leg before taking a step.

Carver had indeed noticed this calm demeanor, and stored his observation into the back of his mind before focusing onto the current task. He felt great apprehension at every thought of the possible outcomes of this trek. He and Clarke shouldn't be surprised at whatever is happening on Earth this moment, _right? If we didn't go there… Where else would we go? As far as Clarke and I know, by now nearly every civilized space station is infected. I_ _'_ _m sure there are many areas on Earth that are still standing, it's only been about two days since those Moons appeared, for fuck's sake._

"Hey Carver, are you ready for this?"

John snapped up at the question and looked to the Engineer who was standing next to one of the piloting seats. Isaac was turned away from him and facing the dashboard, with his head turned to the side as he awaited a response. The other man silently made his way and stood some feet behind Isaac. He gave a sigh.

"As much as I am, I'm also trying to prepare for the worst. I haven't lost all hope but what if this also becomes… a disaster?"

At this, the blue-eyed man fully turned and faced his friend.

"No matter what happens, we'll be able to figure something out. There's gotta be plenty of people out there right now, either fighting for their lives or holding up in places. I can't imagine what the governments or those damn Unitologists could be doing exactly… But I think that the best we can do is stay low and help whoever we can. And of course, stop this shit from spreading over the entire planet." Isaac reassured.

"That's what I had in mind. Now what about this guy?" John motioned his hand towards the back of the control room where two hallways met, and where the third man was making his way exploring the vacant rooms.

"I guess we should bring him out then. I'll start prepping the ship now for take off."

"Alright, I'll get'm."

هههههههههههههههههههههههههه

The Soldier turned and headed to the intersection of hallways. He then stopped in his tracks and waited.

Clink!

The sound of a small item clattering to the floor and scuffling brought his attention to the right pathway. He approached an opened doorway toward the end and stood under it.

" _Ehem,_ hey Jack. You uh, you ready to go?"

He was greeted with an expression of surprise as Jack whirled around from the shelf of abandoned trinkets along the back wall. What appeared to be a make-shift toy rocket ship lay upon the floor. The man gave a chuckle as he glanced down to it before returning his gaze to the other.

"Oh, oh sure. I didn't think it'd be this soon. That's no problem though, I know that this is important to y'all and I don't intend to hinder anything."

"Great"- A low hum throughout the ship interrupted Carver. Within seconds the walls of the ship gave a light vibration and lights flickered throughout as the engines rumbled to life. He shook his head and held an all-too-knowing smirk.

"Alright then, I guess we're leaving sooner than _I_ thought..."

The other man smiled as well and looked to the floor, he pressed his lips tight and remained silent.

John noticed this.

"Look uh, we know where you came from and now we're... Well we're technically taking you back to it. My buddy Isaac and I have been there, done that. Trust me. But whenever you look at the big picture, there's nothing to go off of from here unless we go back." He sighed. "No way in hell are there enough supplies in this thing. Those crates I packed up by the front? Only about ten water pouches, plus whatever dried and crusted crumbs of food I could find in the fuckin' storage. Even if we didn't want to return, we wouldn't last out here."

The other man nodded in agreement and looked off to the side.

"I get it I get it, not much we can do, right? I reckon that this is also the best option for now."

"Yup. Alright, well I'm gonna go up front with Nerd Boy in there and see what I can do."

Jack made a noise of confirmation and crouched down to pick up the dented toy, then stood to replace it onto the shelf before rearranging the miscellaneous items.

Carver turned to make his way into the cockpit.

Then he woke up on the floor.

هههههههههههههههههههههههههه

John's eye's shot open as he gasped awake, only to have no air come in. Not much time could have passed, only mere seconds since he was knocked down. His vision was a haze and in the moment, all he could register was a deep warmth settled upon his chest and neck, and a harsh pressure.

He widened his eyes and forced his focus onto the being atop of him. Jack was straddling him, pinning the Soldier's waist to the floor with folded legs as he sat upon his chest. He was hunched over, pressing one arm horizontally across Carver's throat and left arm, and gripping the man's other wrist to pin it to the ground, allowing no resistance.

No confusion, no questions. _Nothing_ ran throughout Carver's mind. Of course he was taken by surprise, but as of now his mind didn't want any answers. All logic flew out the window and only one thing took control. _Fight._

He sputtered as he made attempts to twist his lower half, but seconds later it only proved to be fruitless.

Carver could not only feel his body weakening and becoming heavy, but his defensive thought process became a thick haze.

Okay, so that didn't work. Losing air, already tried kicking legs. It didn't work, right?

He then let out a strangely-outward gasp as Jack leaned his weight onto his lungs.

John flailed his legs trying to do something, _anything._

"So this is what it's come to, huh?" Jack muttered, his tone gave off his own struggling as he was keeping the muscular man beneath him. "Nice hospitality y'all got, I'll give ya that. But I warned you, I _WARNED_ you"- He spat angrily and moved to dig his nails into the other man's neck- "What we have here is a better fucking chance compared to that _SHITHOLE_ we're headed to. There's no point in going"- He barked out a laugh- "No point no point, no chance. This whole time I've listened to _your_ plans, to _"save"_ the world. You have no idea what you're getting into."

Carver's vision began to fade and his arms became numb. He hadn't realized that they were now laying on each side of him, helplessly allowing this lunatic to attack him.

"But I know how to get you out of this, yes _I know_. You'll be thankful for my help, and after this I'm gonna convince your friend over there of what I have in store for him!"

Tears sprang from John's eyes as his face became a deep red, what had been only seconds felt like an eternity as his muscles ached in agony. He gave a final kick with his right leg and struck something, not flesh but something solid and strong.

Before he knew it, books and random metal pieces from a shelf fell over the edge and onto his assailant. The younger man yelped in surprise and was knocked off of the Soldier and to the side as the metal toy rocket clipped him on the head.

John loudly gasped and he could feel his tingling limbs awakening. Cool, precious oxygen spread throughout his body, and his logical thoughts rushed to him quickly like a harsh current. He took advantage of this moment and allowed adrenaline to carry his body, sitting up and crawling towards the doorway.

" ** _Cough_** \- _Isaac..."_

He mustered his final strength to yell out to his comrade, but his prayers have already been answered.

In this moment, Carver's tired mind imagined Isaac like an angel, landing from the clouds and drawing his majestic weapon to save the day. In reality, the Engineer had already rushed around the hallway's corner has he heard the distant commotion.

Without hesitation, a single gunshot pierced the air.

 ** _Thud._**

The Sergeant didn't stop crawling towards his friend until he was beside him, and finally turned his head back to the scene before them. Jack's lifeless body lay on the floor, initially laying sideways before the ship's gravity caused him to roll onto his back. A thick trickle of blood poured from a single shot to the forehead, precision which not only did the job but didn't make a mess. Besides the fallen shelf and scattered objects surrounding the corpse.

After realizing that he wasn't nearing death _(again),_ Carver allowed himself to let out coughs and take deep breaths. He grabbed the hand that Isaac offered and was pulled to his feet, not feeling any shame in accepting the help. He swayed a little.

"Are you okay?"

"Goddamn"... Was all that Carver could say to express his thoughts.

"What the fuck happened man?" Isaac's voice rang with some anxiousness, but he was putting effort into keeping a neutral composure for his partner's sake.

"I... I truly do not know." Carver was making direct eye contact with the other as they faced each other in the door way. His face was now flushed in pink as some sweat gathered on his face, moisture still thick in his eyes as he blinked. "I was talking to him, warning him about us taking off, _just_ as I fuckin' told you I would." He took a sharp inhale. "He seemed a bit upset, but ya know, I wasn't surprised. We know that he didn't wanna go back. I was going to leave him be, and as soon as I was heading back to you I guess his fist greeted my head. Then... _this._ "

The Engineer grew silent as he listened and cursed under his breath once the other man finished.

"Carver I am so... I'm sorry... Holy shit... I should've known that this would happen, of course it did. It was fucking obvious! Yet I gave him a chance and some of my hope. I thought that we would all make it out of this alright..." He then added. "And in no way was I ever planning to shoot another fucking human being again." He shook his head as he sighed with exasperation, and then turned away from John. He dropped his handgun to the floor and gripped his hair tightly with both hands, tilting his head upwards. "FUCK!"

Carver turned and watched as these emotions unraveled before him. He has seen Isaac emotional before, and could now only feel a deep sorrow pierce through his heart as he observed the other's distress. _Yes,_ he has definitely been here before. Making a rash decision before even finding other options. The split-second raise of an arm and pointing a weapon, finger resting over the trigger as the determining factor in life or death.

Indeed they are both in shock, at this point. Both men had held their suspicions toward the newcomer and prepared for anything to happen. Yet, a small hope of human morals had been keeping them at ease with Jack.

Without Clarke's quick thinking and prior experience, the outcome could have been far more grave.

 _If he didn't come in time, it would have been my sorry ass laying dead on the floor..._ John thought.

He decided to slowly approach the Engineer from behind and laid a hand on his shoulder. The other man released a deep exhale through his nose and slightly softened at the touch.

"You had to do it Isaac. You did the right thing."

"Yeah..." A small, raspy voice agreed.

Carver gave a squeeze and released his hold. Isaac remained facing away.

"Let's get this cleaned up, before we go. I don't want to leave it like this."

هههههههههههههههههههههههههه

Ten minutes was all that was needed for the pair to clad themselves in their armored suits and return to the disaster of a room, searching the cold body for anything of use before carrying and releasing it into the vacuums of outer space. A gloomy but compatible silence stretched between them throughout the entire process, and they finally stood in the cockpit that Isaac had left unhandled. The ship's engines had been running as the vessel itself floating idle, waiting to take off towards Earth.

Coordinates set, fuel at a decent percentage.

They both sat into the original seats that they rode in when first approaching Earth and the alien Moons.

Dashboard screens and gauges shining with life, all computer and radar systems set to go.

Isaac and Carver shared a glance.

Isaac raised his arm and hovered a gloved hand above an activation button in front of him. Like the gun's trigger earlier, he steeled himself for this life-or-death situation that he was in control of. Only was he not _completely_ responsible, for they have both decided this path leading to their fates.

And once again without hesitation, he pressed it.

هههههههههههههههههههههههههه

 **Author's Note**

Hi guys, thanks again for reading, I know that I am slow with uploading chapters. I thought that I would post this chapter around Christmas time, which was also a convenient time for me to add final edits to this piece. I am finally going to take this story to Earth starting next chapter, and from there I have no idea if I will expand this much longer. I feel as if my ideas are kind of flat, and hard to build off of. But I am also surprised that I have made it this far with my typing, and every view and follow from y'all is also what keeps me going.

If you are lonely during Christmas time like I am, I hope that this is a good read for ya. Hahaha. Haha.

Ha.

Anywho, thank you again and see you soon. :)


	6. Chapter 6

The trek back to their home didn't take as long as initially expected. There they sat, adorned in well-worn armor (save the helmets), and strapped tightly into the seats of the main control room. They gazed ahead in silence, both lost in their own thoughts as the craft sped light years through a shaky path among the stars. Through the windshield, the sight was similar to a whirlpool of lights, which appeared to be flashing and stretching due to the ship's fast momentum. It was indeed beautiful, complex and moving such as a kaleidoscope. Every surface of the ship hummed intensely as the two men approached their solar system.

A grave numbness rested in the pit of Isaac's stomach as all he could think about was every disastrous situation he's faced after getting his hopes up for, well... something better. He had already felt greatly desensitized after his many missions spent in the vast universe. He didn't even need to look at Carver's expression to know how the other man was feeling. They had grown close enough for Clarke to sense the other man's anxieties, pains, anything he wouldn't admit really.

He snuck a glance down to the navigation system on his right and inspected as the cursor indicating their vessel was only seconds away from the set destination. He let out an exhale he hadn't know he'd been holding and turned his head back to the waves of other stars and galaxies.

He closed his eyes.

Suddenly the ship lurched forward, and greatly slowed down to an even pace.

He didn't hear any noise from Carver, and he wasn't sure what to assume from that.

His eyes fluttered open.

The new scenery that appeared before them was not what he was expecting, in all honesty. There were no gigantic craters of damaging impact, or entire continents demolished from alien forces. Although, he did spot some amounts of thick smoke polluting the lower layers of Earth's atmosphere. And of course, the Brethren Moon silently accompanying the planet from its side.

With what he imagined to be most rational, Isaac decided to completely surpass the Earth's Moon and the Lunar Colony and created coordinates directly to the planet. He reckoned that the Earth itself is their main priority, especially concerning the recent Unitologist and Necromorph outbreaks upon the Lunar Colony. The ship became nearer to the planet and approached its atmosphere, specifically positioned above the North American continent.

He finally glanced up to his partner whose gaze was still fixed upon their destination, then turning to meet Isaac's eyes. Carver gave a single silent nod, and Isaac carefully pushed the throttle. Despite his cautious piloting, the craft sped through the outer layers of the atmosphere, causing layers of glowing heat to form on its tip. Then came the clouds, heavy and gray as the ship broke through their densities with ease. Isaac activated various flaps upon the ship's wings and brought their fall to a slower pace. The heated outer surfaces lost their flaming glow of descent as sudden moisture from the rain drizzled upon the windows and surfaces.

Clarke was immensely focused in this landing, for he knew any simple slip of a button could end it all. He evened his breathing and trained his eyes upon the states that were coming into view. At this point he didn't have a specific area in mind.

"Carver, we gotta make this quick"- without looking he flipped a panel to activate additional flaps- "Where should we land?"

"Ah... shit... Fuck Isaac I thought you would've figured this out."

Isaac huffed in exasperation. A moment of consideration passed.

He then proceeded to specify the coordinates to a northern region of the continent.

The states become more clear in view, fields and vast lands stretching so far and seemingly-small from below. The time seemed to be early afternoon as the sun provided a moderate glow onto the grounds. Long minutes passed as the ship zipped over the lengths of states, traveling faster than any normal airplane.

After some time, Clarke disengaged the autopilot system and grasped the joystick in both hands. He began a slow manual descent towards the lines of roads and rural lands. As they neared closer, nothing seemed to be out of the usual, and he continued his light push forward towards what seemed to be a forested area.

This glide continued for several minutes until their craft nearly brushed the tips of the giant spruce trees, and Isaac slowed to a fair and even pace. All was silent between the pair as they each focused on their surroundings, Isaac's lips were pressed in a thin line as his eyes scanned the passing environment. And he finally saw it.

There, some football fields' length away was a small town. From their current distance, it understandably appeared to be deserted, but not entirely derelict. If anything, it looked like any rural village with characterizing older structures and cracked street pavement. Indeed the Engineer had curiosities and his growing wariness clashing inside of him. But he immediately turned to the usual choice of his; Logic.

He made a smooth turn the right, facing away from the civilization in hopes of avoiding any potential surveillance. Carver seemed to understand as he made no comment. In fact he unlocked his seat belt and stood, muttering to the two of them a quiet "Alright..." and going to retrieve weapons and other goods. Not many seconds have elapsed before the blue-eyed man spotted what seemed to be a decent clearing of the trees for landing. The entire open space was maybe the size of a street block, with it's entirety being surrounded by the dark green foliage. Towards the opposite end of the clearing were encompassing trees leading to mountains, providing them a hidden corner to retreat to if need be. Isaac ran out of time for observations as they were now hovering over the space, and he began landing.

هههههههههههههههههههههههههه

"Alaska? Shit Isaac, I realized we were up north but not this far... And I thought your old ass was tired of the cold!"

The brunette shifted in stance and gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, I know."

The pair were standing outside of their space vessel, gathered by its rear doorway. Both clad in the same civilian clothes found days ago. Without another word, Isaac then wandered away towards the center of the field.

Wisps of silky grass brushed against his fingers as he took each step. Whispers of sweet wind breathed onto him and ventilated through the cotton shirt. It was a chill, but pleasantly accompanied by the rivaling warm rays of sunlight.

He stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes. He wanted to savor everything in this moment. It has been so, so long.

Breathe.

A simple function which has felt... difficult lately...

He could not remember the most recent time he has felt so at-ease. If anything, the only similar memories were years old. He momentarily forgot everything, and gathered the mental strength to push down the clawing worries, the anxieties.

He continued standing in his spot, eyes remaining closed and fluttering lightly as he pictured old images in his mind.

What else is there left to lose?

Inner peace was suddenly overpowered by a heart beating in pain.

He thought of family memories which have been buried into his mind, and never expected to be uncovered in a time like this. His loved ones, not only in blood but in trust and friendship. He pictured his childhood home, on a nostalgic sunny day.

All of the wonderful people and things he had been blessed with, only to be replaced by the violent memories of his more recent years.

Isaac's mind blankly sifted through these thoughts as the emotions further down gave their own response.

His throat began to tighten, and his face scrunched into pure agony. It was beyond his control now.

Breathe.

He could already feel his eyes watering with tears, and he sniffled.

His heart panged against his chest like a wild bird trapped behind the iron bars of a cage. Wild but contained. Lost.

He then lowered his head and looked at his shoes through blurry vision, and let out a whimper.

Of course, he knew that he had Carver. For all he knew, he could not be here at all if it weren't for his ally's support.

The Soldier must have been concerned because as if on cue, Isaac felt a hand hesitantly grasp his shoulder. He was slowly turned around with his head still downwards. He didn't bother to look at the other or say anything. What needed to be said? He was then enveloped into a bear hug, he accepted it without second thought and closed his eyes, wrapping his arms fully around his friend. He buried his reddened face into John's collarbone and shook, sobbing quietly. He felt one hand reach up and cup the back of his head, with fingers combing through his hair. The other arm remained tightly encircling his mid-back, which held them tightly together.

"Oh, Dead Boy..." Carver's normally-playful voice gave the tone similar to a sad smile. Empathetic and knowing.

They remained in an embrace for some time. Carver's grip continuously strong as Isaac was instead loosening his hold, and eventually let go all-together. He gently placed his hands on the front of Carver's shoulders and seconds later the other man released his hold. He was not ashamed of his emotional display anymore, yet he kept his face slightly downwards.

"You gotta take a break Bud. For real. C'mon."

He tugged at Isaac's forearm to get him moving towards the back opening of the ship, and once inside Clarke retreated to the washroom where he pressed warm water onto his face. After he regained some composure he met with John again in the rear compartment. John's back was facing him as he sat in the open doorway, gazing into the outside world. Isaac took a seat beside him.

"Why here?" The Soldier inquired. He quickly changed his words in what seemed to be avoidance of portraying aggression. "I mean, I don't mind it at all, nothin' wrong with it. I'm just wondering why this region specifically."

Isaac cleared his throat. "I am honestly asking myself the same thing."

He was met with a sideways glance of raised eyebrows and amusement.

"C'mon, I know you got the smarts with your choices. Anything in particular you were concerned of, here?"

Isaac met his eyes briefly before returning his gaze out into the field.

"I figured, well... Somewhere rural and far away. Nowhere near possibly-infected cities. Maybe a few small towns every now and then, something not too risky and that we could keep under control. Also, it was a last-second decision as you saw. You wouldn't make up your damn mind so."

Normally the sass would have been easily detected in his last words, but Carver understood the humor and normality behind it. He let out a laugh and nudged Isaac's shoulder.

"Hey hey. You were the driver, I was your guest. I don't gotta do shit. If you're flying you gotta know where we're flying. If it was important enough to me then I would have beat you to it."

Isaac gave a single nod and they shared a compatible silence. They watched the tall grasses sway in the wind, leaves fluttering from trees to rest upon the earth. Mild clouds up above glowing from the afternoon light.

"Hey, everything is gonna be okay".

Carver did not feel any sense of insecurity once the words left his mouth. He realized that his once-forced optimism has become truly genuine, though of course it depended on the situation as well. After hearing his companion's quiet agreement, he concluded that their roles had changed throughout this journey. John damn sure _knew_ that he was always seeing the darker side of things, every day waking up to the same hopeless life.

 _Was it always a reality, or only a reality in my eyes?_

Isaac on the other hand, despite his fair share of traumatic situations, had always found a way to return to his higher levels of hope. Even when he thought himself to be completely lost and alone, a new light would spark before his eyes and he would embrace it as an opportunity. He also possessed a great sense of control, for which Carver secretly admired him.

However, their mentalities seemed to have shifted, but only slightly. Here huddling next to him was a broken man. Long-awaited tears shone on his cheeks. His narrow nose and cheeks blotched with faded pink, and usually thin lips now slightly swollen. And blue eyes, such a cold hue now reflecting only a plead for warmth. Back then it was this man who had everything in check and the dim flare of confidence which had saved them both countless occasions. Now the Soldier could only hope to help his friend regain his characteristics.

They remained in each other's company for some time, occasionally engaging in quiet conversation between longer breaks of silence. The sun had span to a lower angle in the sky indicating mid afternoon, and at this time Carver suggested that they rest instead of exploring the nearby town like he initially had anticipated. They both entered the ship once again and Carver sealed the back door behind them. Meanwhile the other man operated the ship's general systems to a reduced-power mode and eventually retreated to the washroom. John had heated up some of the decent food rations that he saved from an earlier time and poured glasses from the kitchen's water tank. Then he waited.

He was lounging on a couch outside of the kitchen area when the other man emerged. Isaac still wore his previous clothes and gave off a faint soapy scent as he neared Carver. The Soldier gave a single nod of acknowledgement and raised the cup to his lips as his friend sat down next to him. He set down the glass.

"It's cool if you don't want this; I figured I should make some for you as well while I was in the kitchen. Though I'll probably whoop your ass if you _don't_ take any, cause I damn sure don't remember the last time I saw you eating somethin'."

A small huff was given in response. "Well, I can't disagree. Thanks."

The two finished their dishes and Isaac headed into a berthing room where he laid in the closest bed. His partner had taken a trip into the washroom himself before joining Isaac on the neighboring bed. Once again, they shared conversation, mainly Carver reminiscing on old comedic memories of his. Not only for his comfort but both of theirs. In fact he was in the middle of telling an old tale from his school days when he paused, only to hear snoring from the bed across. His mouth stretched into a grin of amusement. _At least I helped him with something…_

The Sergeant did not regret his decision of their temporary return to the space ship, because within minutes his exhaustion took over and he began to doze off into the grasps of unconsciousness.

ههههههههههههههههههههههههه


	7. Chapter 7: Finale

Carver awoke the next morning to the familiar soft hum of the ship's ventilation systems. His mind was still caught between the world of dreams and reality as he laid there, with the blanket's warmth beckoning him to close his eyes once again. Through a haze, he forced his eyes open and shifted to the side. He noticed Isaac laying on his stomach with his head turned away. His back rose and fell with a slow and steady rhythm. The Soldier eased himself towards the edge of his bed and quietly swung each leg over the side before rising. He moved through the dark and neared a circular window to peer outside. The sky was painted with swirling gray clouds, which dimly reflected the hue and allowed him to assume that it was dawn. He backed away from the light and resumed his trek to the doorway.

A few hours had passed before Clarke had risen from bed. At the movement, John looked up from his weapon parts splayed across the dining area's table and greeted his friend.

"I bet you're feeling great after that sleep. First decent rest in a while, huh?"

Isaac sat down across from him. "Yeah, I'm kinda used to the lack of it honestly. What about you, are you fixing that gun?"

"Somewhat. I realized that the ammo got jammed but I figured I might as well take it apart, maybe add some new pieces here and there."

"You could've woken me up, you know. It's best that we get moving and I don't wanna prolong anything."

Carver raised his eyebrows in response while his eyes remained glued to the dismantled technology before him. "Really? You've been a zombie man, it's no issue at all. I was waiting to see you collapse, or something. You know you need that beauty sleep."

A serious expression lingered on the Engineer's face for some seconds, before his demeanor diminished entirely and he burst out laughing. Carver looked up with a smiling face and questioned the other man before he began laughing himself. In reality, he wasn't even sure what he was laughing at. _Maybe it's Isaac's damn cheeky grin that I've seen like, twice._

"You say some weird shit dude." Isaac remarked while shaking his head. "I appreciate it though. It's been a while since I've… well…-"

"Lightened up?"

"Precisely."

"Completely understandable, my friend."

For some reason, Isaac felt a foreign warmth blossom in his chest at those last two words. He looked to the man across from him, who now resumed assembling his rifle with a faint grin on his face. Sure, in the beginning he thought that Carver was an ass. And they had _indeed_ displayed their differences towards each other, many times. Although, Isaac felt lucky to have this person. Given the life-threatening situations and regular stress, they have adapted to each other's personalities and beliefs well over time. Isaac knew that many complications ran in his mind on a regular basis, yet he held his tongue until he felt need-be. Usually his spoken thoughts rang with experience, or in times like this, enjoyable humor and strange remarks. Clarke now genuinely enjoyed being a friend to Carver, and he basked in every delicate moment between them.

"Do you want to check out that town nearby?"

Isaac snapped back to reality. "Of course. All we could think about was coming back to Earth, and now that we're actually _here_ I think we gotta take advantage of it. As much as I enjoy sitting around. Anyways, aren't we running low on almost everything here?"

"Just about. I'm surprised that the damn ship is still running."

"Me too, me too… Well, I'll go suit up then." Isaac stood and began his leave to the washroom.

Carver nodded and quickened his pace with the remodeling. After a few more twists and insertions, he was satisfied with the improved scope and magazine. He gave a hum of contentment and stood to make his own way to Isaac's location.

The two stood in the outdoors once again, this time clad in light-armored suits without helmets.

"Alright then." Carver exclaimed, and they began a somewhat lengthy walk to the group of buildings they first spotted once landing.

It almost felt like a dream to the both of them; after all of the shit they've gone through, only to now casually walk through a peaceful forest of lively trees. The cool late morning breeze ventilated under their thin pads of armor, and it nearly felt like a casual stroll. Soft rays of sunlight glowed through openings of the branches above and occasionally showered onto the pair. Isaac trailed closely behind Carver and took note of his calm demeanor. His rifle was latched onto his back, along with the usual handgun and military knife slung alongside his waste. It was almost an odd sight to see the Soldier in such an easy-going state, no stiff posture or weapons gripped tightly into his hands. This attitude reflected onto Isaac without his knowledge, he holstered his pistol and began his own leisurely walk.

The dirt and twigs snapped under their weight as the two gained distance upon the roads. Carver slowed once he reached grayed road pavement. It was perpendicular to him, and resembled a reversed 'T' shape from his position. It stretched on beyond sight when he glanced both ways. He then stepped across towards the joined street, which also happened to be straight and leading to the small town. Carver realized that the crunching of gravel beneath their boots was filling the silent atmosphere. For some reason, this put him a little on edge. For all they knew, there could be many things, or people, unseen in their eyes. Though he chose to continue without weapons drawn, he did not want either himself or Isaac to be perceived as dangers if there happened to be civilians nearby.

They reached the closest structure, which happened to be a run-down pharmacy located at the end of the street. It appeared to have a longer history than the remaining buildings, it was red brick and had broken windows. As they passed by, Isaac peered in through a shattered glass pane and observed the many fallen shelves and overall disaster inside. John kept his back to Isaac and watched the road, remaining vigilant of any surprises. The Engineer backed up and turned to the other man.

"Looks like this has definitely been the hot spot for thieves. There's more food in there than medicine, the people must've thought of this as an aerial pathogen, of some sort… Because there are definitely _no_ necromorphs here."

"Yeah…"

They continued walking (Carver made sure it being on side of the road, to gain less possible attention), and the other buildings seemed to be almost normal. Minus the lack of lighting in every single one of them, and the occasional knocked-over furniture inside.

The men entered a building at random. It seemed to be an indoor apartment complex, with the front door leading to an open lounge area, and a stairway along the walls of upper floors connecting walkways and identical wooden doors. They stepped into the center of the floor.

"Hey!"

Not a second later, the pair had their pistols drawn and lasers aiming towards a back corner. There stood a lanky middle-aged man. He flinched at the sudden lasers aiming at his limbs (which struck him as odd), besides that he did not seem phased. He smartly raised his hands into the air.

"Look- I don't mean any harm. I don't got a single weapon on me, you can check if you want to."

Carver took charge. "Are you the only person here?" He asked.

"No."

"Then how many?"

The initial response was a look of hesitation. But when Isaac lowered his gun, the man was encouraged to answer.

"As of now, 16."

Without a word, Carver neared the unknown man and instructed him to keep his arms up as he performed the routine weapons inspection. Nothing came of it, and he glanced around for any possible others before holstering his handgun as well.

"So what's going on here? This place seemed to have been completely abandoned minutes ago…"

The man nodded. "Yeah, that's what it's supposed to seem like. In fact we still have electricity and enough resources to last a while longer. Most of us are citizens of this area, though a couple of friends and relatives are in the mix."

"Where's everyone else?" Isaac joined in.

"First, I have to ask who you two are."

Carver huffed, more of inconvenience than aggression. "Long story. We've been out in space for some time, performing government operations related to the Markers." Isaac was slightly taken aback at the Soldier's openness with information. "But now that damn virus has spread here, and once we escaped our own infected galaxies we traveled here immediately. My buddy and I also don't intend to do any harm, sure we look scary but we actually landed here last night with the intention to find uninfected areas, and survivors."

The older man emitted slight surprise at the situation, but nodded and didn't press for further information. "Here, I'll show you the others." He motioned for them to follow him into a hallway behind him, and they began walking.

"I guess it could also be considered a long story for my group and I here. We've been sheltering in here for some days, the rest of the town does seem safe enough but usually we send one or two out at a time to get any supplies." They maneuvered around suitcases left piled in the hallway, still packed. "Ever since we saw the outbreak on television, most of the population here panicked and evacuated on their own accord, leaving for families and such. But us few stayed behind. Those damn monsters are spreading through the states."

"And what are you guys doing now, are you gonna continue staying here?" John inquired.

"Nobody has an answer for that yet, but it seems so. We may have to take trips to the neighboring towns, which we're hoping are in good shape. Some of the men here, including myself, are planning to join the resistance groups."

"Resistance groups?"

"You heard it. I personally haven't heard much of them, but there are already friendly militias forming to combat the spread of this… virus. We can't sit around here forever."

The two friends exchanged curious expressions before resuming to follow their host.

"My watch boys actually spotted your guys' ship before you landed, I was informed and decided for us all to move into these back rooms here in case if you were any trouble. I thought we could give it some time and the ship would leave, but obviously you two are a pair of explorers, which isn't a bad thing actually."

They approached an apartment door at the end of the hallway, directly adjacent to an exit doorway.

The man stood before the door and gave it a signaling knock, and seconds later it was opened.

The trio were met with a full room of people. It was quiet as they all stared at the newcomers. Ages varied greatly, what appeared to be an elderly couple sat towards the back of the living room, while a boy no older than 10 sat on the floor with a shotgun in his lap. Weapons were laying across tables, modules hanging on the walls along with marked maps. The faint sound of a news broadcast echoed from a radio nearby.

The man in front of Isaac and Carver took the lead. "It's safe, everyone. These two gentlemen are from that ship flying over us yesterday. They're survivors just like us, but fresh from outer space. If we can help them, maybe they can help us. Nothing but good intention." He looked back to the pair. "Right?"

The friends simultaneously nodded.

The man smiled. "Alright, let's get you both familiar with us folks here. You aren't returning to your ship anytime soon, are you?"

"Not exactly, we actually came here looking for supplies, and possible allies." Carver responded.

Isaac chuckled.

Some time had passed after the two were acquainted with the larger group. Few had returned to their normal rooms in the building, while others lingered in the main lobby. Isaac and Carver had finished a discussion with the first man who introduced them; he seemed to be a leader in the people's eyes and definitely lived up to his traits. He gave them a further explanation of the resistance groups and their growth throughout cities of the United States. After more inquiry, he admitted to forming a similar group of his own here with his followers. Though of course, those bearing arms were the majority of the boys and young adults, and they have been reviving tarnished weapons with useful scrap metals scavenged by the watch standers.

In this moment, the two friends sat outdoors behind the main apartment building and watched as the sun shone golden rays through the rolling clouds.

"Hey Isaac, remember that time when we were first coming to Earth, and since you were hesitating to enter the shockspace, I told you to hit that damn button?"

It took a moment for Isaac to recall the event before he laughed. "Yeah!"

"And whenever I asked why you landed us here?"

"Of course, that was yesterday man." A small smile splayed across the Engineer's face and his eyes were questioning.

"Well… I'm glad ya did."

Isaac was mildly surprised at the statement. He already knew the simplicity of Carver's words held much more honesty and meaning behind them.

Carver continued. "See Dead Boy, there are things to look forward to, now that you've led us to this place. You just gotta look for 'em."

"Since when did you become the optimist?" The blue-eyed man playfully asked.

His partner hesitated. "I… I actually don't know. I think we've been around each other for too long." He lightly nudged into Isaac.

Isaac laughed. "It's not a bad thing, right?"

"Nope. No regrets."

The pair sat against each other in an easy comfort, and resumed their silence.

This time, anxieties for the future were replaced with the light of hope in both of them.

Finally the ability to breathe, the time to contemplate thoroughly, the time to really… enjoy each other's company.

Sure, they were both aware of the upcoming challenges, and more threatening situations. But all-in-all, they each had a choice in this matter and took it for granted.

Maybe there is more to lose.

Maybe there are values to keep fighting for.

Maybe there are reasons to trust once again.

The sun's rays had now fully peaked through an opening in the clouds, and restored an emotional warmth into both of their hearts.

They had no going back now, this was an opportunity for the both of them. A new beginning.

And it was accepted.

ههههههههههههههههههههههههه

END

ههههههههههههههههههههههههه

 **Author's Note:**

Thank you very much for reading. I apologize for the slow updates, life did its thing and held me back from finishing this sooner. I am almost sad to bring this story to a close, I have enjoyed the hours spent sitting down and typing up this bad boy. In fact I did not want to rush the ending, so I hope it came out alright. And that y'all are happy with it.

As of now, I don't plan to make a sequel, but if that ever happens I will definitely post a notification chapter on here to let my followers know. I do, though, have more ideas for possible Dead Space one-shots and short stories, of course being centered around our boys Isaac and Carver. I also am planning to bring some other gaming ideas of mine to life, such as from the BioShock and Left 4 Dead series. Hopefully they will happen.

I also post videogame-related fan art on my Instagram page, and some of them include the Dead Space boys. I draw more than I write so if interested my username there is alleycat221 (totally not promoting myself right now).

Again, thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
